Oribe Mutsumi
is a 2nd year Houshou Private High School student and the protagonist of The Island of Giant Insects. She is passionate about insects with a wide knowledge in their biology and behavior. Due to this, she is a valuable asset for the survival of the students in the abandoned island. Appearance In the maga, Mutsumi is a fair skinned girl almond colored eyes and a rather buxom body (though it's modest in comparison to some of the other girls). Her hair falls to the middle of her back and isn't as styled or well-kept as the other female survivor's. Mutsumi wears a camouflage jacket and her trademark teal hat at all times. Though it's obscured by her hair, she also carries around a blue and white backpack that has a fish design, named 'Gomaotto.' In the OVA, Mutsumi sports a notably more feminine design. Her eyes are much larger and her face is rounder. Her hair is also much longer, to her lower back and left to flow freely. Mutsumi's jacket is no longer camouflage, but a plain green. Personality Mutsumi is a friendly and caring girl with a protective nature. When bullied by Jinno Misuzu and her friends, she became submissive and complied to their demands to strip naked in the classroom. Despite being profoundly embarrassed by the act she did not seem to hold any grudge against Jinno for this. Contrasting with her submissive attitude when bullied, she can be courageous when lives are at risk, as seen when she did not hesitate to go rescue Naruse Chitose after she was kidnapped by a giant ammophila, neglecting to permit the mortal danger involved to inhibit her. Upon her arrival on Tatsuno Kami Island, she's begun to take a more proactive role in the group, going off and fighting insects on her own rather than simply strategizing or fighting back only in response to a character's death. It's revealed that a part of this is caused by the responsibility she feels towards the survivors. Background She faced an encounter with a kind woman, Professor Inaho Enoki, when she was younger, who taught her that insects evolve themselves to survive. This fascinated her to no ends. She was told that she only feared bugs because she didn't know a lot about them, and this most likely contributed to her bravado when faced with the danger of the unknown. She is still consciously working on expanding her knowledge and harnessing her emotions to best utilize every situation for survival. If not for Enoki, she wouldn't of been capable of supporting her peers the way she does now. However, she notably resents having to hurt or kill insects. Mutsumi was bullied at Houshou Private High School for her submissive shyness and her bizarre interests in bugs, leading her to be called 'Bug Girl' by her classmates. She is considered by some (Aoyama) to be the bottom of the 'school caste.' Despite the bullying and her introverted shyness, she became close friends with Chitose, who became Mutsumi's confidant and only friend at school. Chronology Oribe Mutsumi awakens to find herself on a deserted beach. Locating her bag, she's horrified upon seeing a severed human hand and remembers that she was on a plane before it cashed. Running into the forest, her only concern is finding Naruse Chitose. Tripping, she manages to catch her breath and gets collect herself before she sets out to find other survivors. While attempting to harvest some Giant barnacles, Mutsumi is found by Matsuoka Ayumi of the soft-call club. Ayumi is relieved that she found someone alive. Mutsumi assures her that all they need to do is survive for three days before help comes. They collect barnacles for sustenance, and Oribe uses a coin and some water droplets in substitute of magnifying glass to get a fire going. After the two finish eating, Mutsumi attempts to teach Matsuoka an effective means to catch flies. They hear a scream and Oribe immediately recognizes it as Chitose. Running through the forest to the source of the scream, they find several Giant papilio maackii draining Inou Ai. Matsuoka attempts to stab one futility, so Mutsumi uses an aerosol can and lighter to burn its wings. Mutsumi is happily reunited with her friend Chitose Before the two groups can assess their situation, Chitose is taken by a Giant ammophila. Abilities Trivia * Mutsumi is shown to be very sentimental and quick to attach to things. She panics when Gomaotto isn't with her and, upon her meeting with the beetles in Dai Kyochuu Rettou, immediately takes a liking to them and gives them all names. * Mutusmi has been sexually harassed four times, the most of any character so far. They were, in order: Manta Mikio (During the Extra chapter, stopped by Enoki), Usui Ryou (stopped by Chitose and Kai), Aoyama Nozomi (stopped by Chitose), and Nakasone Kagami (stopped by Aoyama). * Mutsumi's hair was originally portrayed as brown, but following the change or artist, (from the unnamed head of Red Ice to Shu Hirose) Mutsumi has been portrayed with bright orange hair on the cover of Volume Six. * In the flashback to her 5th year in elementary school, she's shown wearing a little purse with a face identical to Gomaotto.